Metal expansion and contraction material and method and apparatus for forming the same



July 10. 1956 P D BRADFIELD 2,753,918

METAL EXPANSION ANlj CNTRACTION MATERIAL AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME Filed Sept. 26, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig Paul D. Bradfie/d INVENTOR.

/4 BY flwgaitw July 10. 1956 P D. BRADFIELD 2,753,918

METAL EXPANSION ANO CONTRACTION MATERIAL AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME Filed Sept. 26, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 2 I I 72 70 a m f Paul 0.Bradfie/d IN VEN TOR.

1955 P. D. BRADFIELD 2,753,918

METAL EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION MATERIAL. AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME Filed Sept. 26, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 3

Paul D. Bradfie Id IN V EN TOR.

D4 BRADFIELD July 10. 1956 p, 2,753,918

METAL EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION MATERIAL AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 26, 1952 Fig6 Fig. 7

Paul D. Em dfie/d INVENTOR.

BY (W W-M Fig 8 United States Patent METAL EXPANSION AND CDNTRACTION MATE- RIAL AND IVHETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME Paul D. Bradfield, Santa Ana, Calif. Application September 26, 1952, Serial No. 311,706 10 Claims. (Cl. 153-76) The invention relates to new and useful improvements in die presses and the primary objects of the present invention are:

(a) To provide a fluted construction sheet that is yieldable to be used for expansion and contraction purposes.

(b) To provide a fluted construction sheet that is yieldable to be used for expansion and contraction purposes, the flutes being angled at their ends and made wider and shallower to permit free flow of air at said ends.

(c) To provide a machine for producing fluted sheets capable of being used as cooling blankets for jet engines.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a metal expansion joint press and die for forming expansion channels in a metallic sheet which channels have specially shaped end portions for the purpose of permitting two sheets to be spot welded together.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a meal expansion joint press and die including coacting male and female dies that will form an elongated channel shaped groove in a sheet of metal and coacting female die and pressure jaws that will depress one end portion of the groove to form a wide exit of reduced depth.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the aforementioned character that is extremely small and compact in structure, strong and reliable in use, eflicient and durable in operation, inexpensive to produce, service and maintain, and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operations as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the present invention and showing the head member raised;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of Figure 3 and showing the head member lowered;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Figure 2 and showing a sheet of metal being processed by the invention and with the cutter blades removed;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the pressure jaws partially lowered;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6 but showing the pressure jaws completely lowered;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a sheet of metal after it has been processed by the invention;

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 99 of Figure 8; and,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a sheet of metal having a channel shaped groove formed therein by the present invention.

2,753,918 Patented July 10, 1956 Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 10 represents a table structure including a bed plate 12 to which a female die member 14 is removably secured as by fasteners 16.

The upper face of the die member 14 is formed with two, side by side, channel shaped grooves 18 and 20 having downwardly offset forward end portions 22 and 24. The side edges 26 of end portion 22 diverge as they extend forwardly and the bottom wall of end portion 22 is convexed as shown best in Figure 2. The side edges 28 are substantially half the depth of the side edges of the major portion of groove 18.

The side edges 28 of end portion 24 diverge relative to each other as they extend forwardly. End portion 24 is of a depth less than the depth of the major portion of groove 20 for a purpose presently to be described.

Vertical passages 30 are provided in the female die member 14 and extend upwardly into the groove 20. The lower internally threaded ends of the passages 30 receivably engage air supply lines or conduits 32 that extend to a suitable source of air pressure, whereby air under pressure may be directly upwardly through the passages for the purpose of lifting a sheet of metal 17 after the same has been flutted by the machine.

A suitable number of guide posts or rods 34 are fixed to and extend upwardly through guide sleeves 36 in the table structure 10 and into holding sockets or sleeves 38 formed with a horizontally disposed rigid head member 40. The upper ends of the rods 34 are suitably held within the sockets 38 and the lower ends of the rods 34 are slidably received in holding sleeves 42 that are fixed to the table structure 10.

Means is provided for selectively raising and lowering the head member 40. This means comprises a horizontal rock shaft 44 that is journaled in simple bearings on the table structure 10 and to whose ends links 46 are suitable fixed. The outer ends of links 46 are connected to collars 48, secured about the rods 34, by pitman 50 so that as the shaft 44 is rotated to swing the links 46 downwardly, the links or pitman 50 will pull downwardly on the collars 48, and as the collar 48 are fixed to the rods 34, the rods 34 will be forced downwardly and with them the head member 40.

A rigid arm 52 attached to the table structure 10 swingably supports a hydraulic cylinder 54 having a piston rod 56 that is pivoted to the adjacent ends of upper and lower pitman links 58 and 60. The upper end of link 58 is pivoted to the bed plate 12, as at 62, and the lower end of link 60 is pivoted to a rigid arm 64 at the center of the shaft 44 by a pivot 66.

A conduit 68 extends from cylinder 54 to a suitable source of liquid or fluid under pressure, whereby the piston rod 56 may be selectively extended from or retracted into its cylinder 54. A valve 70 is interposed in the conduit 68 and underlies a foot pedal 72 carried by a base 74 for the valve 70. As the pedal 72 is depressed, valve 70 will be opened to permit fluid under pressure to enter the cylinder 54 and extend rod 56 for the purpose of swinging arm 64 downwardly to rotate shaft 44 to a position for lowering the head member. When the pedal 72 is released, its hinge spring 76 raises it and valve 70 is actuated to retract piston rod 56 cansing arm 64 to be swung upwardly for rotating shaft 44 to a head-member raising position.

Obviously, many operative raising and lowering mechanisms, for the head member may be used, such as a hydraulic ram, a rack and gear, cables or cams. However, in the present system, valve 70 may also be operatively connected to conduits 32 so that when the head member is raised air under pressure will enter passages 30 to lift a sheet of metal overlying the female die member. 14.

A male die 78 is removably secured to the hat undersurface of the head member 40 and includes a rib 80 that overlies the groove 18. The downwardly offset end 82 of rib 80 is formed with a concave undersurface 84 complemental to the shape of the convexed wall of groove portion 22 and the forwardly divergent side edges 86 of end 82 are inwardly spaced relative to edges 26 to permit end 82 to enter end portion 22 as the head member is lowered.

A second male die 88 underlies the head member 40 and supports vertical rods 90 that are slidably received by vertical sleeves 92 carried by the head member 40. Coil springs 94 embrace the rods 90 and are braced between head member 40 and toward the upper major portion of groove 20.

Pairs of ears 96 and 98 are fixed to the undersurface of head member 40 in front of the die: 88. These ears 96, 98 support horizontal pins 100 and 102 that extend horizontally through the upper outer corners of a pair of coacting pressure jaws 104 and 106. The opposing ends of the jaws 104 and 106 are formed with recesses that accommodate the ends of a coil spring 108 that yieldingly urges the lower inner corners of the jaws apart as shown in Figure 8. Resilient pods 110 and 112 are suitably fixed to the undersides of the jaws 104 and 106. rear lower portions of the jaws 104, 106 are upwardly ofiset as shown in Figures 1 and 9 to conform to the offset end portion 24 they overlie.

A stationary cutter blade or bar 114 is suitably fixed on the upper face of bed plate 12 in front of the die member 14 with its rear cutting face spaced from and disposed transversely of the groove portion 24. A coacting blade 116, held by hanger brackets 118 on the head member 40, will move downwardly with the head member across the rear face of blade 114 to cut and trim metal along the rear face of blade 114.

A spring arm 120 (Figure 1) is fixed to and extends forwardly from the die 88 and over the offset end portion 24 of groove 20. Arm or finger 120 is of a size to 4. Width as it extends toward said edge, the side edges of the groove at the said end portion being folded inwardly toward each other to reduce the depth of the said end portion.

2. A method of producing fluted sheets for expansion and contraction purposes, the method consisting of first forming a channel shaped groove in a sheet of metal having a downwardly offset end portion; then folding the side edges of the groove at said end portion inwardly to reduce the depth of the groove at said end portion.

3. A method of producing fluted sheets for expansion and contraction purposes, the method consisting of first forming a channel shaped groove with a downwardly offset end portion of a width greater than the width of the intermediate part of the groove in a sheet of metal having an offset edge; then folding the side edges of said end portion inwardly to reduce the depth of said end portion.

4. A method of producing fluted sheets for expansion and contraction purposes, the method consisting of first forming a channel shaped groove with a downwardly offset end portion of a width greater than the width of the intermediate part of the groove in a sheet of metal having an oifset edge; then folding the side edges of said end The fit into end portion 24 without coacting the size edges 7 of end portion 24.

In practical use of the present invention, a sheet of metal 11 is placed over the die member 14 and the pedal 72 actuated to activate the cylinder 54 and cause the head member to be lowered so that rib 80 and portion 82 will force a part of the sheet 17 into groove 18 and end portion 22. The head member is next raised.

The sheet of metal is then shifted so that the groove formed therein will enter groove 20 and with the offset portion of the groove in sheet 17 in offset end portion 24 of groove 20. The head member 40 is again lowered with the jaws 104, 106 forcing and folding the edges E of the groove G inwardly at the downwardly oifset end thereof. At the same time the rib 80, 82 will coact with groove 18, 22 in forming a second groove in the sheet of metal, which groove will then be received under the finger 120 and be positioned in groove 20, 24 as the sheet of metal is shifted toward the groove 20.

The sheet of metal thus fluted will have an offset leading end portion P with the side edges E of the groove G folded inwardly to reduce the depth of the grooves offset portion while the side edges of this offset portion diverge forwardly to increase the flexibility of end portion P and permit the same to be spot welded to a similarly fluted sheet of metal.

What is claimed as new is as follows: a

l. A fluted construction sheet comprising a yieldable sheet member having an outer edge, said sheet member having a channel shaped groove therein extending perpendicular to said edge, the outer edge of the sheet mem her and the end portion of said groove at said edge-being offset, said end portion being progressively increased in portion inwardly to reduce the depth of said end portion, and trimming the sheet of material transversely of said groove at the outer extremities of said end portion.

5. A method of producing fluted sheets for expansion and contraction purposes, the method consisting of first forming a channel shaped groove perpendicular to one edge of a sheet of metal having an offset edge which groove is provided with a downwardly offset end portion at said edge, said groove having side edges which are progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend across said offset end portion toward said edge; then folding the side edges of said end portion inwardly to reduce the depth of the said end portion to less than the depth of the remaining portion of said groove.

6. A metal expansion joint press and die comprising a bed plate, a head member movable selectively toward and away from said bed plate, a female die supported on the bed plate and having a downwardly olfset end portion, a channel-shaped groove formed in the upper surface of the female die and extending across the offset end portion, the side walls of the groove being progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend outwardly to the edge of the die, a male die supported on the head member and constructed with a die portion for entering the groove of the female die when the head is moved towards the bed plate and with laterally extending die portions which cooperate with the upper surfaces of the female die at the edges of the groove to shape the ungrooved portion of the work, said female die also having a second channel-shaped groove with an offset end portion whose depth is less than the depth of the remaining portion of this groove and Whose side edges are progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend away from the major portion of the second channel, and

I means supported on the head member and overlying the offset end portion of the second channel for folding inwardly the side edges of a channel formed in a sheet of metal by the first named female die and male die.

7. A metal expansion joint press and die comprising a bed plate, a head member movable selectively toward and away from said bed plate, a female die supported on the bed plate and having a downwardly oifset end portion, a channel-shaped groove formed in the upper surface of the female die and extending across the offset end portion, the side walls of the groove being progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend outwardly to the edge of the die, a male die supported on the head member and constructed with a die portion for entering the groove of the female die when the head i is moved towards the bed plate and with laterally extending die portions which cooperate with the upper surfaces of the female die at the edges of the groove to shape the ungrooved portion of the work, said female die also having a second channel-shaped groove with an offset end portion whose depth is less than the depth of the remaining portion of this groove and whose side edges are progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend away from the major portion of the second channel, and means supported on the head member and overlying the offset end portion of the second channel for folding inwardly the side edges of a channel formed in a sheet of metal by the first named female die and male die, and means supported by the head member directly over the second groove for entering a channel formed in a sheet of metal to force the walls of the channel against the walls of the second groove.

8. A metal expansion joint press and die comprising a bed plate, a head member movable selectively toward and away from said bed plate, a female die supported on the bed plate and having a downwardly offset end portion, a channel-shaped groove formed in the upper surface of the female die and extending across the offset end portion, the side walls of the groove being progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend outwardly to the edge of the die, a male die supported on the head member and constructed with a die portion for entering the groove of the female die when the head is moved towards the bed plate and with laterally extending die portions which cooperate With the upper surfaces of the female die at the edges of the groove to shape the ungrooved portion of the work, said female die also having a second channelshaped groove with an offset end portion whose depth is less than the depth of the remaining portion of this groove and whose side edges are progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend away from the major portion of the second channel, and means supported on the head member and overlying the offset end portion of the second channel for folding inwardly the side edges of a channel formed in a sheet of metal by the first named female die and male die, a stationary blade secured to the bed plate transversely of the second groove, and a movable blade held stationary on the head member and coacting with the stationary blade for trimming sheets of metal after grooves have been formed therein.

9. A metal expansion joint press and die comprising a bed plate, a head member movable selectively toward and away from said bed plate, a female die supported on the bed plate and having a downwardly offset end portion,

6 a channel-shaped groove formed in the upper surface of the female die and extending across the offset end portion, the side walls of the groove being progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend outwardly to the edge of the die, a male die supported on the head member and constructed with a die portion for entering the groove of the female die when the head is moved towards the bed plate and with laterally extending die portions which cooperate with the upper surfaces of the female die at the edges of the groove to shape the ungrooved portion of the work, said female die also having a second channel-shaped groove with an offset end portion whose depth is less than the depth of the remaining portion of this groove and whose side edges are progressively spaced apart a greater distance as they extend away from the major portion of the second channel, and means supported on the head member and overlying the offset end portion of the second channel for folding inwardly the side edges of a channel formed in a sheet of metal by the first named female die and male die, said last named means including a pair of substantially rectangular jaws having upper outer corners that are pivoted to the head member and a coil spring biased between the inner ends of said jaws, the inner ends of said jaws overlying the offset end portions of said second groove.

10. A fluted construction sheet comprising a yieldable sheet member having an angular portion and an offset edge portion, said sheet having a channel-shaped groove therein, the groove decreasing in depth as it extends across said angular portion to said offset portion, the side walls of the portion of the groove extending across the offset portion being folded between the bottom of the groove and the top portion of the sheet with the sides of the bottom of the groove extending in diverging relation to the bottom of the groove in the angular portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,140 Lane June 27, 1916 1,462,475 Atkinson July 24, 1923 2,079,553 Fraiser May 4, 1937 2,199,377 Tangerman Apr. 30, 1940 2,671,492 Biordi et a1 Mar. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 95,866 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1922 

